Polyesters based on polyols and dicarboxylic acids are useful in formulating products such as skin cremes, cosmetics and the like. In such formulations, the polyesters normally function as thickeners or softeners. Polyesters prepared from polyols comprising at least two primary alcohol groups and at least one secondary alcohol or amino group and a dicarboxylic acid wherein the secondary OH or amino group of the polyol moiety is free or unesterified have surface active properties. The difficulty normally encountered in the preparation of such polyesters is the danger that because the polyol is multifunctional, the polyester would be non-linear and thus the reaction mixture would tend to gel before the degree of conversion reaches acceptable levels.